Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes and Dressings

Whether you're a Thanksgiving stuffing traditionalist or need a new family side dish, Food & Wine's stuffing and dressing recipes are perfect for any holiday dinner. Find something vegetarian-friendly, quick and easy or indulgently delicious (we're partial to bacon). From classic sausage-and-bread stuffing to upgrades that use tarragon, prosciutto and cheese, these recipes will become family favorites.

Whether you're a Thanksgiving stuffing traditionalist or need a new family side dish, Food & Wine's stuffing and dressing recipes are perfect for any holiday dinner. Find something vegetarian-friendly, quick and easy or indulgently delicious (we're partial to bacon). From classic sausage-and-bread stuffing to upgrades that use tarragon, prosciutto and cheese, these recipes will become family favorites.

This rich and delicious make-ahead Mushroom-and-Chestnut Stuffing with Giblets from Anthony Bourdain gets flavor from fresh herbs. The dish also gets a boost from a super simple homemade stock made from turkey wings and necks. It's a definite crowd-pleaser.

When Suzanne Goin was a child, making stuffing for the holidays was one of her first forays into cooking. “My mom always used store-bought crumbs, and it became my job to doctor them up,” says Goin. “I’d just raid the spice cabinet and the first batches were a little crazy. But I figured out what I liked best.” This chestnut-laced stuffing with pancetta and fennel is adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques. The crispy olive oil-soaked bread cubes on top are especially delectable.

Gary Vaynerchuk’s mother, Tamara, makes Stove Top stuffing every Thanksgiving, and he proudly admits loving it. Its simplicity inspired this recipe by F&W’s Grace Parisi. Using homemade turkey stockgives it a rich flavor, but for a shortcut, use chicken broth instead.

After tossing the ingredients and spreading them in a pan, Melissa Rubel Jacobson chills the stuffing for at least an hour before baking. This ensures that the bread soaks up the liquid—key to a stuffing that's crisp on top and moist within.

A mix of sautéed wild mushrooms adds lots of texture to this stuffing; lemon juice and zest make it tangy. The mushroom stuffing can be made vegetarian-friendly simply by replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock.

Joanne Chang says, “A Chinese meal isn’t complete without rice; Thanksgiving isn’t complete without stuffing. This sticky-rice dressing combines the best of both worlds.” Chinese sausage makes the rice deliciously sweet and savory. Chang likes using the Kam Yen Jan brand, which has no MSG; look for it at Asian markets.

Chef David Tanis grew up in the Midwest, with rich corn bread stuffing for Thanksgiving. He tweaks his mother's recipe by adding a smoky element. "She'd roll over if she saw the bacon," he says. But it's not critical to the stuffing, which also gets savory flavor from hearty kale, so you can leave it out.

Instead of the more common bread-based dressing, Sam Mogannam's mother, Mariette, always serves turkey with this hearty, savory Palestinian stuffing, traditionally used as a filling for grape leaves or halved zucchini.